My trusted Altec Lansing 5.1 speakers of over 15 years bit the dust this week. I only used the front speakers and sub on my Altec Lansings due to the room set up. I bought the Logitech Z200's as a cheap replacement knowing that it wouldn't sound as good. These were getting good reviews on amazon and it was spoken highly of. So I bought them. My brother had logitechs before so I know it was a decent brand. With that said, they sound horrible.

Any recommendations on speakers priced no more than $40? I don't need a sub but would use it if it was cheap enough and didn't sacrifice sound quality. Or are <$40 speakers supposed to sound bad....

My 10 year old 2.1 Klipsch's were giving me trouble so I went with Audioengine 5+. Not cheap ($400), but pretty amazing speakers. They sell a separate subwoofer, but I didn't get it and haven't missed it. Living in an apartment I have to watch the bass anyway. My computer is more for music while working at the computer than games, but they obviously work great for both. They do sell a cheaper desktop set which gets really good reviews as well.

For those recommending really cheap headphones, guess they are fine for games, but probably not for music.

The last time I was shopping around for speakers, it was to replace an Altec Lansing set as well. Went to the store and I was sold on another Altec Lansing set, but I returned it as I felt the range just wasn't there, with the sound being rather thin. Ended up getting some Bose Companion IIs, but that might be outside your price range. What I like about them is that they still do have a subwoofer, but built into them, so they don't take up a lot of space, and they have a sound and warmness to them similar to my old Altec Lansing set.

i have these, and while the sound quality is ok for the price point (or even good, for bass-y music), i was concerned about the build quality when i got them. adjustment is more about flexing the cheapy-feeling plastic to fit than using joints and hinges, and it seemed like they would break if flexed a little to far. i use them exclusively at work, and for no more than 4-5 hours a day (many days not at all) and even with this moderate usage, my suspicion turned out to be correct - the right adjustment band cracked almost in half after about 16 months of use. it is epoxied now (albeit with reduced adjustability from the glue repair) and i intend to keep using them, but i am seeing new cracks appear.

some people may not care for $23, but i would rather not replace my headphones every year and a half if i can help it.

16 months of use? I would also consider that they may have changed the manufacturing on them - the hinges feel solid (if a bit bulky).

But considering the cost, they're an easy recommendation. The risk is low, and since you're not tied to a cable but instead have a jack on the headphones it offers a flexibility I wasn't expecting. I have a pair of Nox Specialists which did the same thing, BTW.

Logged

"If it weren't for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we'd still be eating frozen radio dinners." - Johnny Carson

yeah, i had no problem with the hinges... i just wish there were more of them. the extending bands (the parts that extend from the main body of the headphone band) are what i had a problem with - cheap, thin plastic. i looked up the reviews on monoprice.com and there are numerous complaints about this.

Becausea: I like to play games without something in my ears when I can (IE when kids aren't asleep)b: my son likes to listen my music on my desktop. I can't access my mp3s on my home theatrec: why does it matter about my needs, other than I just want speakers...

This is for my son and I needed to go simple - no sub to complicate it - and there aren't any "wow" speakers in the $35CAD price range (price above includes taxes). It was a sale price - they normally charge a lot more for them.

Ken, what did you end up going with?

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"If it weren't for Philo T. Farnsworth, inventor of television, we'd still be eating frozen radio dinners." - Johnny Carson

This is for my son and I needed to go simple - no sub to complicate it - and there aren't any "wow" speakers in the $35CAD price range (price above includes taxes). It was a sale price - they normally charge a lot more for them.

That's what I purchased. I haven't made a decision on what I want to do... So far it seems at the $<40 price range I'm not going to find anything that is nice in sound.... So I'm just going to have to live with these speakers or wait and buy something more expensive.

Mine seem pretty firm, though the plastic may be a bit thin on the housing.

the part that slides in (to which the hinges are attached). i wrote monoprice and lodged a customer complaint on these. not sure what good it'll do, but i feel better now. wish they'd replace them... i slathered superglue on the new cracks, maybe it'll do something.

anyways, in my researching of cheap-but-good headphones, these newish models look like winners: